NEWSLETTER • FALL 2018

Greetings from STEM @ SVSU Code fall session is already full but be sure to watch for information on our We Code Camps for middle It was another STEMazing summer at SVSU! Over school students and parents coming soon! Families 350 K-12 students and nearly 175 teachers were can check out the Dow Great Lakes Bay STEM on campus for a wide variety of STEM camps, Festival at on October 12 and 13, with professional development, hands-on research a regional launch of the WE are Innovators program programs, and more! Students had a blast at the on October 13 as well. High school student teams SMEK Jr. and SMEK Sr. camps, leadership skills can also register for the A.H. Nickless Innovation were a key component of the Chief Science Officers Competition now through the end of October. Keep Summer Institute, and girls were rocking it out at an eye on our website www.svsu.edu/stem for up Camp Infinity again this summer! In addition, high to date information on all our programs. STEM@ school students had a chance to get their feet wet SVSU is constantly adapting to meet the needs of as interns with the Dow Science and Sustainability our regional students and educators – we hope you Education Center (SSEC) Summer Research will contact us with any needs that you have in the program, while others participated in the Coding and coming year. Networking Bootcamp and the Health and Human Services STEM camp. Best wishes for a successful 2018-19 school year!

Many teachers were also on campus for professional development opportunities through the SVSU Regional Mathematics and Science Center, the Dow Corning Foundation-SVSU-STEM Community Partnership, and the Middle School Mathematics Adrianne Cole Specialist Program. Teachers were also leaders Director of STEM@SVSU in the Dow SSEC program, helping high school students feel at home in our research labs. Details with participant names and districts involved in all In this Issue: • MiSTEM Network Updates our summer programs follow in this newsletter. • A STEMazing Summer • Faculty Focus: Dr. Poonam Dharam Looking ahead to a busy fall semester… there are • Mark Your Calendars many opportunities to engage in STEM activities and programs throughout our region! Our Girls Who

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Updates from the MiSTEM Network

To make Michigan a world leader in STEM education, the Claire Bunker, Director MiSTEM Network was created MiSTEM Network as a collaboration of business, education, and community partners throughout the state. The work of the SVSU Mobile Research Lab is MiSTEM Network is to build on existing STEM networks and create a STEM ecosystem that on the Road Again! supports and implements the components outlined The SVSU Mobile Research Laboratory is on the road in four STEM pillars: create a STEM culture, again for the 2018-19 school year. The lab can visit empower STEM teachers, integrate business elementary, middle and high schools throughout the and education, and ensure high quality STEM Great Lakes Bay Region and focuses on water quality experiences. studies, including organism diversity, water quality Goals of the MiSTEM Network East Central Michigan parameters, aquatic ecosystems and more. There Prosperity Region include: is no cost for the visits – those interested should • Build collaborative partnerships that align GLBR complete a request on our website svsu.edu/stem activities to the state STEM vision. • Support the creation of a common understanding Apply Now for the Hour of Code! of what STEM means. • Lead and oversee the progress of STEM education activities. • Coordinate the development and implementation of common goals among the region’s stakeholders. • Identify and coordinate resources to support regional STEM stakeholders and activities.

SVSU will serve as the fiscal agent for the MiSTEM Network Region on behalf of the East Central Michigan Prosperity Region that includes Fourth grade classes are once again invited to collaborative partners in Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, apply for the Hour of Code event, held at SVSU on Gratiot, Isabella, Midland and Saginaw Counties, Friday, November 30. This event is part of a national as well as STEM@SVSU and the Great Lakes Bay initiative to increase diversity in computer science Regional Alliance. and introduce coding to students at a young age. Up to four classes will be selected to participate in this For more information on MiSTEM, please contact: FREE program, which includes a coding workshop Claire Bunker with SVSU Computer Science faculty and students, MiSTEM Network Director lunch at the Marketplace at Doan, and a STEAM East Central MI Prosperity Region activity in the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture [email protected] Museum. Schools must provide transportation to Saginaw Valley State University campus for this event. Please visit our website Gilbertson Hall – GN 112 svsu.edu/stem to apply by October 12.

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A STEMazing Summer! Chief Science Officers Elevate the Voices Camp Infinity of Students in STEM

Participants of the CSO Summer Leadership Institute

Chief Science Officers (CSOs) are middle and high school students who are the STEM voice for their schools and in their communities. Locally sponsored SVSU served as the host site again for Camp Infinity, by The Dow Chemical Company, sixty-two CSOs from technology camps for middle and high school aged twenty-three schools and thirteen districts attended girls, that was coordinated by Dr. Betsy Diegel. the CSO Summer Leadership Institute at SVSU Located inside Gilbertson Hall, fifty-one middle on August 14 and 15. During the school year, CSOs schoolers and eighteen high schoolers learned and advisors will interact with STEM professionals mobile app development, HTML web design, JAVA at local businesses, as well as implement a STEM and robotics. Each week-long camp ended with action plan at their schools. CSOs from the Great presentations where campers showcased their hard Lakes Bay Region, along with delegations from work to parents, friends, and community members. Arizona, Oregon, Georgia, Florida, New York, Mexico, SVSU instructors, Dow volunteers, and high school and Kuwait, will travel to Washington, D.C. in October Chief Science Officers shared their expertise and for the CSO International Summit. These student served as role models for the campers. The high leaders will work as an international cabinet to school camp was the first ever for Camp Infinity and determine innovative solutions for STEM issues SVSU was proud to pioneer this new endeavor with in their regions, as well as work with and impact the Michigan Council of Women in Technology and national leadership. the Dow Chemical Company. We look forward to offering Camp Infinity again in 2019! Participating School Districts: Bangor Township School District, Bay City Public Schools, Bridgeport-Spaulding Community Schools, Carrollton Public Schools, Frankenmuth School District, Freeland Community Schools, Great Lakes Bay Early College, Midland Public Schools, Saginaw City School District, Saginaw Township Community Schools, St. John’s Lutheran School, Swan Valley School District, and Valley Lutheran High School.

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Dow Science and Sustainability Education 20 High School Students: Center (SSEC) Summer Research Madison King, Au-Gres Sims School District; Austin Experience West, Zachary West, Bullock Creek School District; Steven Jacovitch, Emily Jaremba, Carrollton Public Schools; Jacob Nielsen, Frankenmuth School District; Liam Pan, Freeland Community Schools; Hannah Gill, Goodrich Area Schools; Anish Middha, McKenzie Moe, Quoc-Dai (Joey) Le, Midland Public Schools; Taylor Yaros, New Lothrop Area Public Schools; Hannah Moody, Nouvel Catholic Central High School; Tommy Papesh, Reese Public Schools; Participants of the Summer Research Experience Zarria Atkins, Ny’Kisha Banks, Sierra Cleland, The Dow SSEC Summer Research Experience Saginaw Public Schools; Chloe Kubacki, Zyk promotes collaboration between high school Hlavacek, Saginaw Township Community Schools; students, middle and high school teachers, SVSU Warren Jacobs, Valley Lutheran High School. students, and SVSU faculty mentors. The program is led by Dr. David Karpovich and Dr. Jennifer Chaytor. 5 SVSU Faculty: Dr. Martin Arford, Geography; Dr. Kyle Cissell, 5 Research Studies: Chemistry; Dr. Dennis Gray, Biology; Dr. Rhett “Using UAV (drone)-Acquired Imagery to Map Mohler, Geography; Dr. Adam Warhausen, Chemistry. Phragmites australis”, “Measuring Water Quality and Phosphorus Migration in the Saginaw, Tittabawassee, 10 SVSU Undergraduate Students: Cass, and Shiawassee Rivers”, “Soil Conservation Shammah Honour Bosah, Bijaya Dhungana, Practices”, “Investigating Nutrient Utilization Nathanael Gentle, Brianna Kosecki, Rachel Efficiency in Native and Invasive Phragmites”, and Laskowski, Hayley Lillo, Garrett Richardson, Justin “Synthesis of New Analogues of Rhodium Catalysts/ Royer, Shrijesh Siwakoti, Aiden Van Loo. Removing Metals from Water Utilizing Biochar”.

10 Middle and High School Teachers: Danielle Niergarth, Bay City Public Schools; Craig Coopersmith, Carrollton Public Schools; Robert Peterson, Freeland Community Schools; Brian Edelbrock, Katherine Spaulding, Midland Public Schools; David Allan, Saginaw Public Schools; Tricia Benkert, Katie Bryant, Jesse Place, Saginaw Township Community Schools; Ryan Stokoszynski, Standish-Sterling Community Schools.

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Dow Corning Foundation-SVSU- Great Lakes Bay Region Middle School Community STEM Partnership Mathematics Specialist Program

Dow Corning Foundation

The Dow Corning Foundation-SVSU-Community STEM Partnership takes STEM teachers and students out of a textbook approach to learning and Participants in the Middle School Math Specialist program into a world of hands-on discovery and exploration, The GLBR Mathematics Specialist program both in the classroom and in the community. The was designed to increase student achievement program is led by Dr. Stephanie Brouet and Dr. M. by creating a cadre of Mathematics Specialists Patricia Cavanaugh. throughout the region. Modeled after The Virginia Mathematics Specialist Program, it addressed 22 K-12 Teachers: multiple aspects of teacher preparedness: content Erin Martin, Bullock Creek Schools; Sara Forbing, knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and leadership Amy Kuntz, Caro Community Schools; Shari skills. A cohort model was used so teachers could Fresorger, Carrollton Public Schools; Thomas collaborate with their colleagues across school and Pashak, Coleman Community Schools; Jennifer district lines, as well as support one another through Brooks, Judy Thomas, Essexville-Hampton Public their coursework. Dr. Tamara Barrientos is the Schools; Jessi Koehler, Freeland Community coordinator for this program. Schools; Melinda Freeland, Kingston Community Schools; Paula McElroy, Marlette Community 13 Middle School Teachers: Schools; Carin Daly, Tania Lex, Alicia O’Rourke, Danielle Richard, Bay City Public Schools; Meridian Public Schools; Rachel Papas, Merrill Ann Keipert, ; Shelley Community Schools; Mark Ratza, Melissa Trato, Wiederhold, Caro Community Schools; Amy Millington Community Schools; Mary Koboldt, Peace Wilkins, Carrollton Public Schools; Amy Kolb, Lutheran School; Rachel Eschenbacher, Melissa Frankenmuth School District; Carrie DeShone, Nieschulz, Saginaw Intermediate School District; Freeland Community Schools; Beverly George, Beth Pufahl, Lori Vacik, Swan Valley School District; Marlette Community Schools; Chelsea Johnson, Adrianne Dittenbir, Tawas Area Schools. Merrill Community Schools; Katherine Spaulding, Bernadette Wood, Midland Public Schools; Peri 10 Faculty Mentors: Raushi, Pinconning Area Schools; Cynthia Briggs, Dr. Jennifer Chaytor, Dr. Kyle Cissell, Michael Coote, Reese Parochial; Paula Smeltzer, Saginaw Township Edward Meisel, Dr. Adam Warhausen, Chemistry; Community Schools. Dr. M. Patricia Cavanaugh, English; Dr. Garry Johns, Mathematics; Dr. Robert Tuttle, Mechanical Engineering; Dr. Chris Nakamura, Physics; Dr. Anne Tapp, Teacher Education.

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Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation Health and Human Services STEM Camp STEM Scholars Network Coding & Networking Bootcamp for High The primary objective of the Health and Human School Students Services STEM Camp was to promote health, wellness, nutrition, and public health awareness through a variety of hands-on activities, including SVSU’s Plot to Plate Program, Nursing Simulation Activities, and Human Performance Testing. Instructors for the camp were Dr. Rachel Darr and Dr. Christine Noller, with support from Dr. Tamara Barrientos and the SVSU Regional Mathematics and Science Center.

The Coding and Networking Bootcamp allowed students to gain valuable hands-on experience with Java programming language and setting up a small Local Area Network (LAN). Dr. Poonam Dharam was the instructor for this camp, with support from Dr. Tamara Barrientos and the SVSU Regional Mathematics and Science Center.

20 High School Students: 20 High School Students: Capri Kloha, MaKayla Maggart, Ashlyn Nagel, Cassandra Grotelueschen, Amanda Pickelman, Amanda Pickelman, Samantha Pickelman, Caroline Matthew Przepiora, Bay City Public Schools; Roberts, Bay City Public Schools; Joseph Wittke, Cassidy Larkin, Carrollton Public Schools; Savanah Bullock Creek School District; Madolyn Glocksine, Hoornstra, ; Megan Essexville-Hampton Public Schools; Abagail Christensen, Essexville-Hampton Public Schools; Johnson, Freeland Community Schools; Robert Benjamin Storms, Frankenmuth School District; Perry, Meghana Reddy, Midland Public Schools; Cong Li, Midland Public Schools; Garrett Webb, Benjamin Matuszak, Reese Public Schools; Pierce Saginaw Parochial; Akshanth Bandla, Ny’Kisha Force, Sterling Force, Saginaw Parochial; Emily Banks, Katie McCarthy, Saginaw Public Schools; Kinnicut, Sarah Kleinfeld, Saginaw Public Schools; Jordan Barnum, Joshua Krease, Justin Li, Aubrey Jordan Barnum, Matthew Krease, Ian Nyutu, Saginaw Schultz, Kelsey Schultz, Saginaw Township Township Community Schools; Jack Raines, Swan Community Schools; Kate Sullivan, Kelly Sullivan, Valley School District. Standish-Sterling Community Schools; Peyton Rundell, Swan Valley School District.

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Summer STEM Faculty Focus: Dr. Poonam Dharam Opportunities Camp Poonam Dharam is an The goals of the Assistant Professor of Summer STEM Computer Science and Opportunities Camp are Information Systems at Saginaw Valley State to build fundamental University. Dharam earned and advanced skills in her B.S. in Computer math, build self-esteem Engineering from through the rigorous Visveswaraya Technological study of math, and to University in India, her M.S. show students some of in Computer Science from the career possibilities Dr. Poonam Dharam Santa Clara University in that are available to them. Daily activities promote California, and her Ph.D. in fundamental math skills, as well as science activities Computer Science from the University of Memphis, and field trips. The camp is coordinated by Dr. Amy TN. She has been a professor at SVSU for two years. Hlavacek. During that time, Dr. Dharam has been an integral part of STEM@SVSU programs. She is the advisor for both the Girls Who Code Club at SVSU and the Google Ignite CS Club, as well as the instructor Science and Mathematics Extravaganza for the CS Explore and Coding and Networking for Kids (SMEK Jr. and SMEK Sr.) Bootcamp for high school students. Dharam has also served as a counselor for Camp Infinity, a judge for the FIRST Robotics State Competition, and a volunteer at the Science Bowl Competition and Math Olympics at SVSU.

What are your interests in STEM fields? My main interests in STEM fields include computer programming and networks. Since my childhood, I always wondered how computer networks work. I was fascinated by the way Internet works. Also, the first time I programmed a hello world program, I was super excited with the outputs. I then wrote a simple program that interacted with a user. I wanted SMEK Jr. campers made their own flashlights with to learn more about programming. Also, the coding LED bulbs and button batteries, launched film camps that I attended during my school days helped canister rockets, created chromatography butterflies, me a lot to understand the field. My curiosity for explored how lungs work, and battled in a bit of both programming and networks encouraged me to balloon jousting. SMEK Sr. campers competed in pursue my career in Computer Science. Barbie bungee-jumping, worked with 3-D printing, My research involves transferring terabytes of data made magnetic slime, and completed survivalist from one location to another in a minimal amount of challenges such as creating shelters that could hold time. Also, I work on network security that includes monitoring computer networks for possible attacks up against wind and making bridges to get past and preventing them for disrupting organizations’ a swarm of alligators. Over fifty elementary and resources. middle school students participated in each camp, coordinated by Dr. Tamara Barrientos and the SVSU (cont.) Regional Mathematics and Science Center.

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What are the highlights of your STEM projects? I am looking forward to the Girls Who Code Club Upcoming STEM Events! again this Fall. The focus of the camp is to encourage Mark Your Calendars for Upcoming STEM Events: middle school girls in the field of computing to try out programming using Scratch and Spheros, to close the The A.H. Nickless Innovation Award is an annual gender gap in technology. I am also looking forward award for high school student teams competing to to the We Code project this Fall that includes one-day present innovative projects, products, ideas, problems camps for both parents and kids to learn programming or opportunities. Get in the running to win a share of up using Scratch and Spheros. We are also planning on to $77,500 in scholarships for students and technology hosting a few camps for teachers to help them explore grants for schools. Registration opened September 5 programming basics. and the top 20 teams will compete on Saturday, April I recently completed my research work on big- data transfer, sponsored by an SVSU unit grant, and 6, 2019. For more information – published my work in a top-tier conference. I am https://ahninnovationaward.com/index.html currently looking forward to my ongoing research on Network Security. Girls Who Code – September 19–December 5. Registration is now closed for fall but watch for the What should local educators share with their students announcement for our winter session. about opportunities in STEM studies at SVSU? At SVSU, we have awesome programs, faculty CS Fundamentals – September 29. Free – register at members, and staff. Every department has amazing https://studio.code.org/pd/workshops/4908/enroll research projects going on. I would request our K-12 educators to encourage their students to apply for the CSO International Summit – October 7–11 in camps that would help kids learn more about the STEM Washington, D.C. fields. Also, the SVSU campus tour (individual/group) that can be scheduled throughout the year helps students explore various departments and lets them Dow Great Lakes Bay STEM Festival – October 12 and realize their interests. When students visit our campus, 13 at Delta College they get an opportunity to interact with SVSU faculty and mentors and learn about the various research We are Innovators – October 13 at Delta College groups, departments, and career opportunities. In my opinion, nurturing students’ interests and guiding We Code Camp – October 20 at SVSU. This camp them in the right path shapes their future towards a is intended for 5 – 8 grade students interested in successful career. learning Scratch programming. Future dates (to be determined) will include sessions for advanced Scratch What advice do you have for teachers or students who programming, Introduction to Scratch for parents, and are interested in learning more about your field? programming using Spheros. Check out our website Participating in programming camps and taking online www.svsu.edu/stem for more details in the coming tutorials such as Code.org would be a great starting weeks! point to learn programming. Logical thinking is one of the important skills required for coding and trying out more programming challenges and examples Hour of Code for 4th Grade Classes – November 30 can help improve logical thinking. Start with a simple at SVSU. Applications due by October 12. programming language like Scratch and explore all the basic concepts such as conditionals (if, if-else) and SVSU STEM Teacher Dinner – 2019 date to be loops (while, for). Once you get a good understanding announced in the winter edition of our newsletter. of the concepts, it’s very easy to learn advanced Stay tuned! programming languages such as Java. And, for more information on upcoming STEM programs, including Girls Who Code club and We Code camps, please visit our STEM@SVSU website.

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